IRAQ AND IRAN….The Telegraph reports that during the recent meeting between the U.S. and Iran, the two countries agreed to form a security committee focused on containing Sunni insurgents. “The committee would concentrate on the threat from groups such as al-Qa’eda in Iraq, officials said, but not those [Shiite] militia groups the US accuses Iran of funding and training.” Juan Cole comments:
If the US is allying with Iran against the Sunni insurgents and al-Qaeda, this is a very major development and much more important than some carping over Shiite militias. (My guess is that 98% of American troops killed in Iraq have been killed by Sunni Arab guerrillas). If the report is true and has legs, it will send Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal ballistic. The Sunni Arab states do not like “al-Qaeda” in Iraq, but they are much more afraid of Iran than of the Iraqi Sunni Arabs who are fighting against US military occupation.
Five years from now Iraq is going to be a Shiite theocracy no matter what we do or don’t do. The Saudis probably better get used to that idea.
